1 Kings 3:19 kjv
And this woman's child died in the night; because she overlaid it.
1 Kings 3:19 nkjv
And this woman's son died in the night, because she lay on him.
1 Kings 3:19 niv
"During the night this woman's son died because she lay on him.
1 Kings 3:19 esv
And this woman's son died in the night, because she lay on him.
1 Kings 3:19 nlt
"But her baby died during the night when she rolled over on it.
1 Kings 3 19 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Child Loss & Vulnerability of Life | ||
| 2 Sam 12:15-18 | "And the Lord struck the child... and it became sick... on the seventh day the child died." | Divine consequence leading to child loss |
| 2 Ki 4:18-20 | "The child grew, and one day he went out... And he said to his father, 'My head, my head!'... And he died." | Accidental, sudden death of a child |
| Job 14:1-2 | "Man who is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble. He comes out like a flower and withers..." | Frailty and brevity of human life |
| Psa 90:10 | "The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble..." | Transient nature of human existence |
| Jas 4:14 | "What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes." | The brevity and uncertainty of life |
| Luke 12:20 | "But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you...' " | Unexpected death, often at night |
| Justice & Wisdom of Kings/Judges | ||
| Deut 1:16-17 | "And I charged your judges at that time, 'Hear out your fellow citizens... and judge righteously...' " | King's role in impartial judgment |
| Exo 18:13-26 | "Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning till evening." | The arduous nature of judging disputes |
| Prov 2:6 | "For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding..." | Source of true wisdom, granted to Solomon |
| Prov 28:5 | "Evil men do not understand justice, but those who seek the Lord understand it completely." | Discerning truth requires divine wisdom |
| 1 Kgs 3:28 | "And all Israel heard of the judgment that the king had rendered, and they stood in awe of the king..." | Confirmation of Solomon's divine wisdom |
| Jas 3:17 | "But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits..." | Attributes of godly wisdom, displayed by Solomon |
| Deception & Truth | ||
| Prov 12:22 | "Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but in those who act faithfully he delights." | Condemnation of deceitful testimony |
| Psa 52:3 | "You love evil more than good, and lying more than speaking what is right." | The sinfulness of falsehood |
| Exo 23:7 | "Keep far from a false charge, and do not kill the innocent and righteous, for I will not acquit the wicked." | Warning against false witness and its impact |
| Rev 21:8 | "But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable... and all liars, their portion will be in the lake..." | Ultimate consequence of persistent deception |
| Maternal Love & Relationships | ||
| Isa 49:15 | "Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb?..." | The depth of a mother's natural love |
| Matt 23:37 | "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets... How often I would have gathered your children together..." | Jesus' metaphor of a mother hen's protective love |
| Deut 21:10-14 | "When you go out to war... and you see among the captives a beautiful woman... and desire to take her as your wife..." | Insight into societal treatment of women, some becoming marginalized or prostitutes (though not directly about this verse, sets cultural background for vulnerability) |
| Divine Providence & Human Weakness | ||
| Ecc 9:11 | "The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong... nor bread to the wise... but time and chance happen to them all." | Unpredictability of life events, including accidents |
| Prov 16:9 | "The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes his steps." | Human planning versus divine orchestration (Solomon's judgment being orchestrated) |
1 Kings 3 verses
1 Kings 3 19 Meaning
This verse describes the tragic death of one of the infants during the night, attributing the cause to the mother accidentally smothering her child by rolling over it in her sleep. This event is the central catalyst for the ensuing dispute between the two women and their appeal to King Solomon's judgment.
1 Kings 3 19 Context
This verse is foundational to the most famous story of Solomon's wisdom, illustrating his divine discernment in judicial matters. Following Solomon's prayer for wisdom (1 Kgs 3:9), two women, identified as prostitutes living together, come before the king. One of them (the first to speak in 1 Kgs 3:17) claims that the other woman's child died in the night because she accidentally suffocated it. This accusation sets up the contentious dispute over which mother the living child belongs to. Historically, this account reflects the socio-economic realities of the time, where co-sleeping was common in cramped dwellings due to space constraints, leading to a known danger for infants. It also highlights the ultimate authority of the king as the supreme arbiter of justice in ancient Israel. The raw human drama and desperate lie reveal the complex nature of human sin and the need for divine truth.
1 Kings 3 19 Word analysis
- And (וַתָּמָת - watta mot): A conjunction that smoothly links this unfortunate event to the preceding description, indicating the next crucial development in the narrative.
- this woman's (הָאִשָּׁה־הַזֹּאת - haʾishah hazzoʾt) child (יֶלֶד - yeled): Refers specifically to the second woman's child, the accused one's, emphasizing ownership in the immediate dispute. Yeled refers to a male child, highlighting the value placed on sons in ancient society and the magnitude of the loss.
- died (וַתָּמָת - wattamot): From the verb מוּת (mut), meaning "to die." It's a stark, simple declaration of the tragedy, highlighting the irreversible reality and loss of life.
- in the night (בַּלָּיְלָה - ballailah): This specific timing is critical. It implies the event occurred unseen, in darkness, allowing for ambiguity and deceit. It suggests vulnerability and the unexpectedness of death in the stillness of sleep.
- because she overlaid it (כִּי־שָׁכְבָה עָלָיו - ki shakhebah ‘alaw):
- כִּי־שָׁכְבָה (ki shakhebah): "Because she lay." From the root שָׁכַב (shakhav), "to lie down," "to sleep." In this context, implies an action that caused pressure or suffocation.
- עָלָיו (ʿalaw): "Upon him." The direct object, specifying that the woman lay on the child. This phrase delivers the direct accusation, explaining the cause of death. It paints a picture of accidental suffocation, a recognized risk of co-sleeping with infants in the ancient world, though it's presented by one woman as an accusation against the other. It immediately sets up the central conflict: determining which mother is telling the truth.
1 Kings 3 19 Bonus section
This incident provides a stark example of a human tragedy where no direct divine intervention occurs to prevent the death. Unlike some biblical narratives where God supernaturally preserves life, here, life's fragility and human error lead to a permanent loss. This realism underscores the Bible's portrayal of a world where accidents and death are part of the human experience, rather than everything being miraculously averted. The lack of intervention for the dead child emphasizes the importance of human justice and wisdom in navigating the fallen world, especially for the living. The woman's immediate impulse to deceive further highlights the depth of human brokenness, where grief and envy can lead to profound dishonesty, forcing divine wisdom to cut through the intricate web of lies.
1 Kings 3 19 Commentary
1 Kings 3:19 details the tragic catalyst for Solomon's renowned judicial wisdom. The verse concisely presents the stark reality of infant mortality in ancient times, attributed to accidental suffocation while co-sleeping—a common and dangerous practice due to living conditions. This seemingly mundane, albeit heartbreaking, event escalates into a moral and legal crisis, forcing the king to navigate a profound human dilemma compounded by the accusing woman's likely attempt to deceive. The mother's claim of "overlying" sets the stage for Solomon to expose falsehood and reveal genuine maternal love through an unconventional test, proving his divine gift of discernment, far beyond mere logical reasoning. The story underscores that even simple, tragic human incidents can become profound opportunities for God's wisdom to be demonstrated through His chosen leaders.